Air Force Space Command Chief Scientist Merri Sanchez spoke on the future of space and cyber technology at the Space and Missile Defense Symposium in Huntsville, Ala., on Aug. 18. Casting a broad vision for “some pretty radical examples” of new technology she believes are necessary for an age in which space is becoming ever more contested, Sanchez described innovative solutions that emphasize the interdependence of space and cyber technologies in order to maintain American competitiveness, reported C4ISRNet. She called for the development of “self-healing satellites” that could sense their own operational problems, discern between environmental and man-made causes, and isolate inoperative systems—all without the need for human analysis. Sanchez also emphasized the need for “cross-cutting” capabilities that blend technologies across fields and enable information sharing among agencies. She expressed hope that new advances would lead to the deployment of “artificial intelligence throughout the space and cyber domain” and enhance “our battle management capability.” (See also: DARPA Seeks Cyber Bots to Protect Networks and A New Wave of Artificial Intelligence.)
Anduril and General Atomics will develop their Collaborative Combat Aircraft for the Air Force, beating out Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman, the service announced on April 24. But any of the non-selected companies can compete to actually manufacture the eventual design, the Air Force said.